Thomas Pfau: Mysticism of Images

Thomas is the Alice Mary Baldwin Distinguished Professor of English at Duke University and Professor of Historical Theology in the Duke Divinity School. He is the author of four monographs: "Wordsworth Profession: Form, Class, and the Logic of Romantic Cultural Production," "Romantic Moods: Paranoia, Trauma, and Melancholy, 1790-1840," "Minding the Modern: Human Agency, Intellectual Traditions, and Responsible Knowledge," and "Incomprehensible Certainty: Metaphysics and Hermeneutics of the Image." ​In this conversation, Thomas and I explored theological aesthetics through a focus on the distinction between pictures and images and especially how images mediate spiritual realities. We discussed the transformative potential of art, the role of attention in perceiving the deeper meaning of images, and the implications of apophatic theology in understanding visual culture. Our dialogue also touched on viewing nature and art through a sacramental lens, the impact of consumerism on perception, and the need for humility and wonder to reclaim the mystical dimensions of images and their connection to the divine.